Sheffield Bladerunners

The Sheffield Bladerunners are a baseball team based in Sheffield, England who currently compete in the Single-A Division of the Northern Baseball League.[1] The Bladerunners were established in 1985 and their home ground is Forge Valley School, Sheffield.[2]

Sheffield Bladerunners
Information
LeagueNorthern Baseball League (Single-A)
LocationSheffield, England
BallparkForge Valley School
Year founded1985
Nickname(s)Bladerunners
ColorsBlue, White
2019 Season1’s 14-12, 2’s 11-8
Retired numbers23, 28
CoachNestor Martinez
Miguel ‘Miggy’ Juárez
ManagerRich Green
Websitewww.sheffieldbladerunners.co.uk
Uniforms

Home

Away

For the 2019 season, it was announced that the Sheffield Bladerunners would create a second team, also in the same division. Bladerunners I won the Northern Baseball League Single-A division title, and were runners up in the Single-A playoffs.

Due to the success of launching a second team, it was announced that for the 2020 season, the Sheffield Bladerunners would also add a third team, all competing in the Northern Baseball League Single-A Central division.

Franchise history

Formation and Early History (1985–2000)

Sheffield Bladerunners in 1990

Founded in 1985, the Bladerunners, led by manager Steve Herbert (who would soon be the BBF president), played their home games at Rowlinson Sports Centre, hosting mainly Yorkshire teams such as the Leeds City Royals, the Huddersfield Heroes and the Harrogate Redwings. Their games were all recorded in the popular Sheffield newspaper Green Un.

Over the next 15 years, many changes happened in the club, including changes in location and players. During the 1990s, many big names in Northern baseball would join the Bladerunners, such as Frazer Longford (who would go on to have his number retired), Tommy Booth and current-day manager Rich Green. The league continued to be full of Northern teams, even reaching as high as Edinburgh in the late 1990s. In 1995, when the Bladerunners were playing in the British Baseball Federation North Division 2, Steve Herbert decided to leave the managing side of the club and allowed Lee Vaughn and Frazer Longford to take over as a managing duo.

In 1998, Hinde House School underwent a major refit and left the team looking for a new field to call home. At around the same time, Jay ‘Flanders’ Stearns joined the club (another player who would have his number retired). Appointed as manager in the 1998 preseason, the first job was to secure a new ground. After evaluating many options the Bladerunners finally settled at Myrtle Springs School. 1998 was also the debut year of 'Beaver Bites', a club newsletter made by the Sheffield Bladerunners.

Early 2000s Changes (2000–2005)

Sheffield Bladerunners in 2000

In the early 2000s, the team moved to the Phoenix Sports Club, the ground that the team would reside in for a number of years. This occurred around the time of the league's restructuring in 2000, splitting teams based on quality and location: placing the Bladerunners with Manchester B, Durham, Barnsley and the Yorkshire Puddings.

The 2004 season, remains to this day, the best performance by the Bladerunners, where they dominated the 8-team Division 1 North, winning every single game. Their 21–0 record carried them into the postseason, where they won the championship. 2005 brought Nick Wills to the team, an American who would soon be the manager.

Barnsley Strikers Acquisition and Merger (2006–2011)

In the 2006 offseason, the Sheffield Bladerunners merged with the Barnsley Strikers to form two teams, the Sheffield Bladerunners (AAA North) and the Sheffield Strikers (AA North). Following the merger, the 2007 season was a rebuilding year for both the Bladerunners and the Strikers. With the retirement of many veterans, the Strikers team became more of a youth side, completed by a few of the remaining ex-Barnsley players.

The Strikers struggled in the 2007 season, ending with a 1–18 record, and rejoined the Bladerunners, who in the 2008 season finished 5th in the league with a poor 6–18 record. The 2010 and 2011 seasons went far better for the Bladerunners however; in the latter, the team placed 2nd in the division with a record of 13–9, making the playoffs for the second straight season.

Sheffield Bladerunners in 2014

Stearns' Departure and Rebuilding (2012–2014)

In 2012, big changes happened to the club: Jay Stearns resigned as manager, and another ground change occurred, this time to Thorncliffe, which did not have a developed diamond, let alone a mound. Up until 2018, the Bladerunners have used a portable mound built by Stearns prior to his departure. Nick Wills took over as manager from Stearns and would remain in this position until Rich Green took over in 2016.

The 2014 season marked a period of growth and expansion for the Bladerunners, as the pre-season brought a substantial number of new players, both rookies and returning players. This season also featured an overhaul of the team's management and structure, with the introduction of new coaches, a media officer and a social events officer.

Modern Day Bladerunners (2015–present)

In 2015, the team relocated once again to their current home: Forge Valley School, which boasts fantastic facilities and a baseball mound built by the team in 2018.

Following the split of Northern teams from the British Baseball Federation, the Bladerunners joined the newly formed British Baseball League's Northern Baseball League. They currently play in the Single-A division of the British Baseball League under manager Rich Green.

In 2019 the Bladerunners club were able to confirm that due to a growing player-base, there would be a second team added to the Single-A division. These teams were split between veterans and rookies to help with development, and in the first season of this new change, Bladerunners I were able to secure a division title. Bladerunners II also made the playoffs. The plan had paid off and the team saw success on and off the diamond.

For the 2020 season, the club added a third team, and with that, the Single-A division was split into East, Central, and West. Therefore with the splits taking place, the three Bladerunners teams filled out the central division.[3]

Season Records

Team I History
SeasonLeaguePosPWLAvg
2011BBF North East AA22139.591
2012BBF North East AA26233.225
2013BBF North East AA241113.458
2014BBF North East AA18135.722
2015BBF North East AA261412.538
2016BBF North East AA2nd261313.500
2017BBF North East AAA321418.438
2018BBL North AA4th25520.200
2019BBL North A1st261412.538
2020 (current)BBL North A CentralN/A000N/A
Team II History
SeasonLeaguePosPWLAvg
2019BBL North A3rd28118.429
2020 (current)BBL North A CentralN/A000N/A
Team III History
SeasonLeaguePosPWLAvg
2020 (current)BBL North A CentralN/A000N/A

Current roster

Pitchers [4]
Player Nationality Positions Bat/Throw
7 Jim Ellis P/IF R/R
88 Nestor Martinez P/IF R/R
13 Jack Lockwood P/3B/OF R/R
38 Jack Kilner P/C R/R
Catchers [4]
Player Nationality Positions Bat/Throw
8 Jonathan Gardner C/2B R/R
3 Miguel Juarez C/1B R/R
25 Damian Kilkenny C/1B R/R
38 Jack Kilner P/C R/R
5 AK Kelly 3B/C R/R
Infielders [4]
Player Nationality Positions Bat/Throw
00 Rich Green 1B R/L
8 Jonathan Gardner C/2B R/R
3 Miguel Juarez C/1B R/R
14 Dominic Norburn 2B/OF R/R
88 Nestor Martinez P/IF R/R
59 Jack Hukin SS/1B/2B/OF R/R
36 Iwan Struggles 2B/OF R/R
25 Damian Kilkenny C/1B R/R
13 Jack Lockwood P/3B/OF R/R
21 Jesus "Jose" Toriz 2B/SS R/R
5 AK Kelly 3B/C R/R
2 Jose Alvarez Picornell SS/3B R/R
26 Kirsty Jones 2B/OF R/R
66 Luke Brown 3B/OF R/R
20 Nick Cockcroft 1B/OF R/R
15 Ryan Kendall 2B/OF R/R
19 Chris Pender 2B/SS/3B L/L
Outfielders [4]
Player Nationality Positions Bat/Throw
14 Dominic Norburn 2B/OF R/R
18 John Briscoe OF R/R
59 Jack Hukin SS/1B/2B/OF R/R
89 Martin Hingley OF L/R
36 Iwan Struggles 2B/OF R/R
13 Jack Lockwood P/3B/OF R/R
21 Jesus "Jose" Toriz 2B/SS R/R
99 Jonny Allison OF R/R
26 Kirsty Jones 2B/OF R/R
66 Luke Brown 3B/OF R/R
20 Nick Cockcroft 1B/OF R/R
11 Paul Grime OF R/R
12 Craig Moulds OF L/L
15 Ryan Kendall 2B/OF R/R
16 Sean Briscoe OF R/L
98 Phil Baines OF R/R
62 Thomas Chappell 2B/OF R/R

Retired Numbers

23 Frazer Longford (Manager; 1995–1998) [5]

28 Jay 'Flanders' Stearns (Manager; 1998–2012)[6]

See also

References

  1. "NBLAA". British Baseball League. Retrieved 2018-04-20.
  2. "Location". Sheffield Bladerunners. Retrieved 2018-04-20.
  3. https://www.instagram.com/p/B8l7prtALgX/
  4. Current Bladerunners Roster
  5. "Frazer Longford". Sheffield Bladerunners Baseball Club. Retrieved 2018-04-21.
  6. "Jay Stearns". Sheffield Bladerunners Baseball Club. Retrieved 2018-04-21.
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